Zither



(N0 M00161. 2 SheetsSheet 1.

0. H. HAHN.

ZITHER'. vN0. 336,158. Patented Feb. 16, 1886.

I Jlacir:

V [D I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

CAR-L H. RAHN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ZITHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,158, dated February16, 1886.

Application filed February 24, 1885. Serial No. 156,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL H. RAH-N, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Zither Attachments, ofwhich the following is a specification,reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improved attachment for zithers and likeinstruments, its object being to provide suitable meansby the use ofwhich the llageolet or harmonic tones may be produced.

To the accomplishment of the above the iuvention consists of anattachment adjustably mounted upon the instrument and itself adj ustableand adapted,when desired, to contact with the strings of the instrument,as will be described and claimed.

Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a view in perspective of an instrument with the attachment inposition; Figs. 2, 3, views in detail of parts of the attachment, andFigs. 4, 5, and (iviews showing a modified arrangement.

Like letters refer to like parts in each view.

A represents the base of the instrument, upon which the strings B arestrung in the usual manner. To one end of base A there is secured abracket, (6, in which a bent arm, C, is adj ustably and removablysecured by aset-screw, 1). Arm C extends vertically a suitable distance,and is then bent and occupiesa horizontal position overstrings B.Mounted upon the horizontal extension of arm C are sleeves c 0, held inposition and rendered adjustable by a setscrew, d. Secured to sleevecisa vertical rod, e, which passes through a bracket, 6, formed upon aframe, f, said frame being thus adjustably suspended upon rod 6 throughthe medium of a set-screw, 9. Frame f is hollow, open atits top, butprovided with a solid bottom, as

shown clearly in Fig. 3. Situated within frame f is a bar, h, providedat or about its center (No model.)

the upper edge of the last-named slot being curved slightly to afford ahold for the canr head, as will be described.

A spiral spring, Z, is situated upon rod or bar It below the pivot oflever k, while upon the upper end of said rod there is formed an arm, m,to which is secured by aset-screw, a, an arm, 0, (shown clearly in Figs.1 and 2,) and which extends downwardly toward the strings.

Secured to the lower end of arm 0 by a setscrew, 1), is an angle-iron,s, situated at right angles with respect to arm at and transversely ofthe strings B, and in the angle of which is placed arubber strip, t,held in position by the set-screw p, which is passed through it.

The operation and manner of using the de vice will be readilyunderstood. lVhen the attachment is not in use, the lever It occupiesthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, all pressure being thusremoved from the spiral spring and the rod It thus occupying its highestposition, and thereby elevating the rubber strip from the strings. W'henit is desired to produce the tones referred to, the attachment is firstadjusted upon the arm C and its vertical adjustment accomplished throughthe medium of the set-screw 9, this adjustment deter mining with whatforce the rubber strip will press upon the strings when lowered. Theseseveral adjustments being determined, the lever 75 is operated, andinits movementits camhead serves to force or draw the rod h down,

and with it the rubber strip, the parts being firmly held in placebecause ofthe relative form of the cam-head k and the slot in frame f,in which it works, as shown in dottedlines,Fig. 3.

Formed upon one side of frame f is a projection, '0, upon which thethumb of the operator may rest during the adjustment of the device.

In Figs. i, 5, 6 I have shown another style of the attachment,which Iwill describe. There is a straight rod, D, held adj ustably by thesetscrew Z). Formed upon the upper end of rod D is a circular piece, 10,through the center of which an opening is formed for the passage of astem, 0:, formed with an adjustable piece, 1, similar in form to piecew. The outer end of stem 0: is screw-threaded, and is provided withathumb-nut, 2, by the operation of which the disk y is drawn toward thedisk w and the l 1. In a zither, the combination, with the partstightened, there being .a suitable packing, w, between the two. Formedwith disk 3/ is a bracket, 00, in which arod, is adj ustably held by aset-screw, z.

By the arrangement described it will be seen that rod y may be adjustedlongitudinally, and also that its outer end may be caused to describethe arc of a circle, thereby carrying such end to or from the strings ofthe instrument.

Upon the outer end of rod y there are provided-disks m'm, which arearranged as are the disks 1:; y, above referred to, being operated by aset-screw, n. Disk mis formed with a bracket, 0', in which arod, p, isheld adjustably by a set-screw, q. Upon thelower end of rod 00 theangle-iron s and strip t are secured.

'What I claim is strings thereof, of rubber strip tand angle-iron 20 s,the former held removably in thelatter and horizontally and verticallyadjustable with respect to the strings, as set forth.

2. In a zither, the combination, with ver-, I tical rod D, provided onits upper end with 25 circular plate w, perforated, as described, ofstem 00, provided with adjustable plate y, the latter provided with abracket, :0, horizontal rod y, vertical rod 1), strip t, and angle-irons, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.CARL H. RAHN.

Witnesses:

M. J. CLAGETT, LoUIs NoLTrNc.

